The Taming of Who?
by Aelphaba
Summary: Hermione finds herself thrust into a marriage she doesn't want and she'll be damned if she lets a man take away her independence. Marriage law fanfic/Shakespeare challenge: The Taming of the Shrew.
1. Chapter 1

HI ALL! So this is my first Fanfic on this sight. Though I have been reading Fanfictions on here for EVER! Please be gentle. Also, the main reason for my writing this story is to become a Beta. It helps me unwind and stay fresh with my own writing. My non-Harry Potter writing. I hope you enjoy. Who am I talking to? No one is gonna read this.

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Hermione exits the floo and straightens her hair as she enters the Ministry. She wipes her sensible blue button-down shirt-dress of the soot from the fire place and straightens the pretty leather belt around the center. "My new shoes!" she gasps to herself as she bends down to wipe away the smudges of her recent travel from her patent leather Mary-Janes. It's not as if she put a large amount of effort into her appearance, but it's not everyday you meet your future husband. As she walked across the floor, her shoes clicking on the glass, she scans the letter in her hand again.

_Ministry of Magic_

_Division of Re-population and Marriage Affairs_

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_As you know the magical world is desperate to restore our population to it's former glory of many powerful witches and wizards for our future due to the tragic loss of the war 4 years ago. As you have yet to find a husband on your own and are of eligible age you must report to the Ministry on May 1__st__ at 1pm sharp where you will find a suitable husband. You have 1 week after your first meeting to plan and prepare for your wedding and married life together. Within the first 2 years of marriage we expect a pregnancy. If you do not make this meeting we will assume you have no interest in following the laws of the wizard world and will break your wand and ban you from our dwindling numbers. Thank you so much for your help and care in keeping the world of wizardry running and populated. _

_Sincerely,_

_Delvinia Horace_

_Secretary of the Division of Re-Population and Marriage Affairs_

_Ministry of Magic_

"Disgusting!" Hermione almost cried out loud. But she was in the Ministry now and had the proper sense to keep it in her head. Her face however showed her feelings quite perfectly. "As if I'm a head of cattle to be sold off to the highest bidder! I am an independent, strong and intelligent woman!" She half crushed the letter in her hand and made her way to the elevator and called out her destination. The elevator jerked backwards and forwards side to side up and down. People got off and on as she waited. "Maybe because it's the newest part of the ministry its the furthest away?" she thought to herself. "Good! The longer I can hold this off the better."

The elevator opened into a large white, too-bright room with one desk and one door on the opposite wall behind the desk. The lone witch clerking the desk couldn't even be bothered to look up when Hermione click-clacked her way up to the desk.

"Ahem!" Hermione made a noise as if clearing her throat.

The woman without looking up asked "Name?"

"This head of cattle's name is Hermione Granger, cow extraordinaire," she said with disdain and exasperation. At least she got the bitch to look up with her comment.

"Yes, Hermione Granger with a 1 o'clock appointment." She stopped and stared as if she had just remembered something. "Wait, are you 'the' Hermione Granger?"

"What does it matter?!" Hermione spat out. Her patience was really wearing thin. This whole thing was ridiculous to begin with.

"Quite right," the clerk said while shuffling parchment on her desk, "You will exit this door behind me which will scan you and your wand and record that you were here for your appointment. Behind that door there are 12 other doors. Here at the Ministry we don't want to take away all of your choices," Hermione snorted aloud at that, "and so you will get to choose a door. Behind each door is a suitable wizard, one of whom you shall marry."

"Can I see into the doors?" Hermione asked.

As if that would make all the difference, she scoffed inwardly.

"Where's the fun in that?" the clerk beamed. "We like to leave it up to fate!" Hermione scowled at her smile. This was no place or time for smiles! This was some serious shit! She was being forced into a marriage and now the ministry had turned it into some kind of muggle dating game.

"You're an idiot and you should be ecstatic that I haven't hexed your tits off." Hermione said it in such a deadpan way the witch thought she was kidding and she laughed.

"Seriously, I have seen so many couples come out of that room so excited for their new future. Fate had picked them the perfect partner." She explained but Hermione had stopped listening lost in thought.

"Is it just random men behind doors in there?!" She burst out. The thought had come to her and she felt the need to express it out loud.

"Oh no! Goodness! We pick 12 wizards who are suited specifically to you." She explained further, "and with who you are and knowing so much about you, we had men volunteering for you."

"Well lets get on with it then!" Hermione said irritated.

"Just walk through the door so we can record you were here and pick yourself a man!" She said too cheerful.

With a sigh Hermione walked around the desk to the door. She turned the handle and opened the door. As she walked through she felt the magic go over and through her. It gave her chills. She walked forward a few feet more and heard the door close behind her. She turned to look and realized this was it. This was the end. No more independent Hermione. No more going out when she wanted. No more clipping her toe nails in the living room. No more Hanging out with her friends drinking in her flat. OH MY GOD! What about her research! How was she to spend hours never-ending doing her research projects and pouring over volumes of books pertaining to that research. She was NOT gonna cook and clean for some man instead of work on her projects. What if he wanted to her to quit her job? Oh my God this was the worst day ever.

She shook her head to rid herself of the doomed thoughts and starting sizing up the doors in front of her. She used her wand to cast a spell to see who was behind. The spell went toward the first door and bounced off as if hitting a bubble and dissipated. She tried it again. Now she tried all the doors, but alas, the same. She kept send her spell out over and over not caring about which door she was aiming. "Okay, girl, definition of insanity; let's move on shall we." She started walking in front of the doors touching them as she walked. She got to door nine and stopped. Did her hand just tingle? She kept walking until she got to door twelve. feeling in despair she leaned her against the wall and looked down the aisle of doors holding unwitting "steers". she started back up the way she came and paused again at door nine. Okay, her hand definitely tingled this time. She reached for the handle, compelled. As she touched the handle the tingle grew stronger. She had to find out who was behind that door! She turned the handle and pulled it open.

"YOU!" Her and the person behind the door said in unison.

"NO!" They said in unison again.

Hermione staggered backwards and almost tripped over herself. "There's been some kind of a mistake! I can't marry you!"

Professor Severus Snape walked out of the door sneering his best sneer saved for special occasions of ridiculousness. "And what, Miss Granger, makes you think I want to marry you."


	2. Chapter 2

Second chapter! woot woot. If you like what you're reading just drop me a review. Even just to say... "woot". It encourages me to keep writing for you! I also like suggestions. Again this is my first fanfiction so be nice!

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"This isn't happening," Hermione gasped out while pacing, "I don't even want to be married, especially not to _you!_ This whole law is shit!"

"Trust me, my ideal wife, if I were to choose would at least be able to tame her hair." Snape said sardonically.

"_My_ hair_,"_ Hermione shrieked, "At least my hair doesn't look like I showered in motor oil!"

"Rather that than not being able to walk outside for fear that birds would mistake it for a nest." he spat back with humor laced malice in his voice.

"Jerk! And what of your _ideal _wife! Other than her ability to tame her hair; to scrape and bow before you! To cook and clean for you! To praise you simply for taking a shit in the morning! And if she does not do so would you put her in detention?!" Hermione turned to storm out of the room away from, him. She opened the door and tried to walk out but is pushed back onto her ass. Snape chuckled under his breath but stopped as soon as she turned to him.

"What the hell do you think is so funny, _Professor._" She sneered back at him, looking him directly in the eye.

"What I find so funny, _Miss Granger_, is that the little miss know-it-all can't even manage to walk through a door. Shall we add that to the list of attributes for my ideal wife?" he said, taunting her. He pretended to be writing on his palm while he said, "Be able to walk through doors. And I must say detention sounds like a lovely idea. Perhaps I shall put you in detention when we get home."

"You're such a prick! Why do you always have to be such an ass. I'm not afraid of you anymore, as if you could put me in detention if you tried." He raised an eyebrow at this as if considering the many ways he could get her in detention. " Furthermore, if the woman you wanted even existed what makes you think she would want you?" She said cruelly. In the back of her mind she vaguely felt bad for her cruel words. But not enough to take them back. "And who's home of which do you speak? Mine or yours?"

"Perhaps we should find out about leaving this room, _Miss Granger,_" he said while walking towards the door, "before figuring out who's home in which we will reside."

He put his wand up and cast a silent spell at the door. "I do believe, we are to exit the door together."

He put his hand out to her and she looked at it with disgust, but she took it all the same. They walked toward the door together and as they neared it they felt the magic go over them; envelope them. When they got through the door they dropped their hands. Hermione wiped his clammy sweat from her palm onto her dress. They walked towards the desk and the witch looked up barely noticing the man who was before her.

"Which door, Sir?" She asked.

"Door number nine." He said, almost bored.

"Okay, that would be Severus Sn..." She looked up from her parchment startled but recovered quickly. "Snape. When the two of you walked through the door you were bound to the contract of the law. Per the law you have one week to be married and set up your life together. At which point you will have to live under the same roof. You have 2 years after that point to conceive to help repopulate our magical world. Please sign these documents and you can get on your way." She handed them each several pieces of paper magically bound together.

Hermione started reading the papers and her face became increasingly disgusted. On the last page she had finally seen enough.

"You mean to tell me that _everything_ that I own will belong to him! Not to _us_, to _him!_" She yelled. "He owns my money, my flat! Does he own my free will too!" She spat loudly. Now she was fuming. She started pacing back and forth re-reading the entire document, willing it to change.

"I assure you, Miss Granger, " He said through gritted teeth, "I have little interest in your piddly possessions."

"You don't know anything about my life or my possessions! They could be priceless! I could be the wealthiest woman in all of the UK!" she fumed. Wasn't it a good thing he didn't care about her possessions? She didn't have to defend herself to him.

Snape and the witch at the desk both raised their eyebrows at her. As if she was acting irrationally. She was not irrational! I'll show them irrational! She signed the papers and threw them at the clerk. "Bugger, Fuck, BOLLOCKS!" she cried and she turned to leave. Leaving her future husband standing at the desk eyebrows still raised.

She arrived at her flat through the floo and looked around at all of her things. Her desk covered in books and parchment covered in notes. Her favorite tea cup still on the kitchen table from this morning's tea. Her shoes from yesterday in the middle of her floor. The quilt her mother made for her for Christmas a few years back draped over the back of her favorite reading chair. None of it was her's anymore. She was marrying _Professor Snape_! The books, the quilt, her tea cup...all his now. She fell to her knees and cried into her hands. It was all too much. Maybe getting her wand snapped and being banished wasn't the worst idea she'd ever heard.

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Snape stood at the desk watching the place where his ex-student...no, future _wife_ had disappeared. "she has a right temper, she does," he said to himself, but the witch at the desk responded.

"Can you believe there were wizards _volunteering_ to marry her?" she asked aloud.

"I can actually," Snape mused. "I can indeed."


	3. Chapter 3

I got my first review! ^_^ Thank you ALIASTESINfor making my day. Ok so this is chapter three. Its a bit longer and probably my last chapter of the weekend. We shall see. The more reviews I get the faster i write and post the next chapter. This is my first story so be nice! You know what, go ahead and be mean too. I don't care! I'm having so much fun! Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to tell me what you think guys.

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Hermione pulled herself up off the floor and shook the fear and sadness from her head. She was strong! She didn't cry! How long had it been since she had cried? My gosh, she hadn't cried since after the war. The week of funerals topped off with a memorial. She needed to do something with her hands or she was just going to fall into the never ending vortex of ugly crying. She decided that no matter what she was going to have to pack up some of her things, at least. She pulled the boxes from when she moved into her flat out of her hall closet and opened one of them to start levitating things into.

A change of clothes, some tea and some muggle chick music later; she was filling a box with some of her books she would be the least likely to need in the coming months when she heard her fireplace sputter. Someone was using her floo. Perhaps it was Ginny coming to check how her day had gone. Ginny was the only friend Hermione trusted with the information that was in the letter she received, but had refused to allow Ginny to accompany her to the Ministry for her appointment.

"I'm in here Gin!" She called out from her living room. She turned to greet her friend when she heard footsteps approaching but instead found her old Potions Master standing there looking her over like she was a new animal he had never seen before.

"What are you doing here!" she yelled out at him. Irritated at her appearance as well as his presence in her home. She walked over the door of her bedroom and removed her robe to cover her tiny shorts and bra-less tank clad body.

"Well, since this is my house now, the clerk was kind enough to give me the address." He said in all his snarky glory. He couldn't help but enjoy the way her tits bounced as she bounded across the room.

"Well then by all means, make yourself comfortable," Hermione said fake sweetly, "surely there is a support beam somewhere in the ceiling you can hang upside down from if you're tired." She smiled up at him smugly. Hermione one, Snape zero she thought to herself.

"If you would desist from your childish rantings for five minutes you might realize I am not the enemy here. I am not the one forcing you to get married. But if you would like to continue to blame me for all of your problems, please, go right ahead. The infantile comments you spew at me are like mosquito bites against my thick skin." He said this as he made his way to her favorite chair and sat in it with a flourish of his robes when he was finished.

"I believe you called me a child twice just then so what does that make you, old man?" She spewed back at him.

"Call me what you will, but if you wanted a man more your age why didn't you marry one. Whatever happened to your besotted Weasley?" he asked her, feigning innocence, whilst saying the name "Weasley" like it was a disease.

Hermione's face was bright red with anger and embarrassment. Everybody in the wizard world knew what had happened with Ron thanks to the Daily Prophet and Rita Skeeter. He had started up with Lavender Brown...while they were still together. It was quite the scandal, especially the bit about Hermione being "frigid".

"How dare you! You come into my home and insult me while telling me not to insult you?! You, Sir, are a hypocrite!" She fumed at him, "Furthermore, I do not...like you."

"Ho-ho! Help me! Call the healers! Call Madam Pomfrey! Heal my gaping wound! My wife does not like me." He mocked her. "News flash, Miss Granger, I don't care if you like me! You are not so easy to like yourself. What happened to you that you have become such a bitter shrew."

Hermione practically launched at him. "POT! KETTLE! Who are you to call me a Shrew you miserable old greasy git! All you do is spew disdain. And I am not your wife, yet; furthermore, for your information, nothing happened to me! I am a confident, independent woman, and I refuse to lower myself or my standards of how I should be treated to the 'status quo' of behavior in women in the magical community! I am not a doormat!"

"No one is treating you like a doormat, Granger, you lash out as if in anticipation of being treated like one, and in doing so, you ask to be treated like a doormat. Or a shrew," he said with a small smile on his lips.

"Why the _hell_ are you here?!" She asked again, trying to change the subject.

"I came to make a plan with you, as we are supposed to be doing with this week before we are to be married. And I thought perhaps we could use the time to get to know each other better." Is that what he wanted? He honestly didn't know why he'd come. All he knew is when he saw her leave he just had to follow her to be near her. As a source of entertainment only, of course.

Hermione looked at her ex-professor as if he has grown another head. He wanted to get to know her better? No one wanted to get to know her better. Her only friends are friends she's had since school. She didn't really like to let people get to close to become her friend. But here he sits, the man who wants to get to know her better. She felt her frozen heart and mind thaw just a bit and looked her future husband in the eyes. His dark eyes were different than they were in school. They were softer and not black as she had always thought. They were a dark brown with flecks of black, and very compelling. While she was at it she looked at the rest of his face. His nose was a bit tragic, and on most people it would have swallowed their face but not on him. It suited him. He had a strong jaw that offset his nose quite well and full lips that looked...soft? She wondered what they would feel like to kiss. Even his hair wasn't greasy anymore. It was soft and Raven colored, and brought out the black flecks in his eyes.

Hermione looked away and put her attention to making tea. "Would you like a cuppa, Professor?" she asked as nicely as she could.

"That would be lovely, thank you," he replied, interested in the blush he could have sworn he saw in her cheeks. "You aren't going to poison me are you?"

"If the poison of your own tongue hasn't killed you yet what makes you think I could come up with a poison that would suffice to take down the great Severus Snape?" She teased.

Severus, he thought, I like the way that sounds on her lips. He took this moment with her in the kitchen to look around her flat. There were take out cartons on the table and in the trash by the kitchen. So she doesn't cook much, that will have to change. And she left her shoes in the middle of the floor, how untidy. She did have a lot of books, that he liked. Perhaps we can read together, he thought to himself.

"Perhaps I should make the tea, if your lack of cooking tells me anything your tea might just be the thing to finally do in the great Severus Snape," he said sarcastically.

Hermione reared out of the kitchen glaring, "Back to insults again, I see. Two can play at that game! Why don't you make the tea, because I can promise you I won't be your little housewife cooking and cleaning and mending your clothes. So you might as well get used to it now!" She huffed.

Snape couldn't help but see how beautiful she was when she was angry and on a rant about women's lib. He couldn't give a rats ass about it, but her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed when she was angry. He would have to get her angry more often.

"Do not address me in that way, madam! Have you no decorum? Have you no idea of how to treat your husband? I will not have you treating me this way in front of important people, so maybe you should get used to not treating me this way in private!" He snarled at her. There that ought to keep this fire going.

"You are NOT my husband, at least not yet and I will treat you any way I please. You will not take my free will, _Professor_. I have a mind of my own! If you don't like it then go find someone else to marry!" She shot back at him.

"Maybe I will!" he shot back, "How any man could tolerate you is beyond me, you insufferable witch!" he giggled with glee inwardly at how dangerous her eyes were in this moment. Her cheeks flushed even darker. Her robe had come open and she her chest was heaving with anger pressing her breasts against her tank hard with each breath.

"Insufferable! You are insufferable you old git! If I had a choice I would marry someone else! Maybe I will have my wand broken just to get the hell away from you!" she hollered.

"You need a hard lesson in what a wife is supposed to be for a husband!" he stood dangerously and crossed the room in two steps. He grabbed her face in his hands. "No more of this hollering about, you will respect me, is that understood?"

Hermione looked up at him a little scared. He was REALLY close. And he smelled really good. Like clover and honey and...man. His nose was almost touching hers, his eyes boring into hers. In this moment she wanted so badly to reach up and kiss him. What?! No! This man was intolerable and disrespectful and...sexy.

He smirked at her, reading her face. She wanted to kiss him. He wanted to kiss her too but she needed to be taught she was not in charge. He let go of her face and very calmly and quietly, "Would you like some help with the tea service, Miss Granger?" he asked.

"We are to be married so you might as well start calling me Hermione," she answered back, "and yes, help would be lovely."

"Likewise you should call me by my first name," he replied calmly.

They sat in her living room sipping tea and exchanging small talk for a little while, until it was time for Snape to leave.

"I would like to meet you tomorrow, Miss...Hermione, so we may discuss our plans." He said in a cordial but clipped tone as he was reaching for the door. "I would like you to move into my house when we are wed."

There is was, the fire in her eyes was back. She really wasn't so bad to look at. He liked getting a rise out of her.

"What am I to do with my flat?! Why must it be at your house? What's wrong with here? Or is it just because you're the man and I am to _submit_ to your vast amounts of wisdom?!" she asked sarcastically.

He marched toward her so fast he caused her to take a step back. "Girl, if you do not learn to clip that tongue of yours! My house has more than one bedroom, and since we are to have children it makes more sense. Also, it has a second study where you can do whatever pile of work that is on your desk in peace. Sometimes people do have your best in heart."

She blushed feeling foolish for getting so indignant. Of course they would have to live somewhere bigger than this one bedroom flat. "I'm sorry, Severus, you are right I don't know why I always fly off the handle like that. Why I always assume someone is going to betray me or walk all over ..."

He cut her off by placing his hands on her face again. He looked into her eyes and seeing her desire to kiss him again he brought his lips down to hers and kissed her so softly it was more of a brush. Seeing her eyes close in pleasure he deepened the kiss tilting her head back and running his tongue across her lips. She gasped with pleasure as she opened her mouth inviting him in. But he pulled back.

"It's the only thing I could think of to do to get you to shut up!" He said with his trade mark eyebrow raised. His mind still reeling from the way his name sounded on her lips. But he stifled it and made to leave.

She opened her eyes wide with anger but he was already leaving out the front door and dissaparating once he was out. He didn't get to hear the verbal assault she threw his way. She slammed the door behind him and leaned against it, her fingers moved up to her lips for a moment as she remembered the kiss. A fire stirred somewhere inside her, one she did not see coming.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's**__**Note:**__So this chapter is just a bit of fluff. A transitional chapter till we get to the fun stuff. I promise the naughty bits are coming up. So get excited, because I am. I am not sure exactly how long this story is going to be but I do enjoy your reviews and PM's. They inspire me to keep writing. Suggestions and ideas are always welcome! Enjoy the chapter._

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Severus landed in the living room of his three bedroom townhouse on Spinner's End, mind reeling from what he had just done. He had just kissed Hermione Granger! Her lips were so soft and they felt like they were made for his mouth. But that temper of hers! She could do well with a good firm spanking! No wife of his was going to run around running her mouth like that. Maybe he would spank her, that would teach her. Curse this bloody law! Worst. Idea. Ever.

What kind of a man is sexually attracted to a woman 20 years younger than him? He was getting hard just thinking about her bent over his lap, and him bringing his hand down firmly over her cheeks over and over. Hermione gasping in pain mixed with pleasure. Her pussy getting wet as he claps down onto her over and over. Her body shuddering against his thighs. His erection grew to an uncomfortable hard in in trousers and he decided to put it out of his mind.

He shook his head to get rid of the thought and instead, thought up a plan.

"In order to tame unruly behavior one must first find the cause of such behavior," he mused to himself while moving to his sitting room. He sat in his hunter green, leather, wing backed chair and laid his head against the back, thinking.

"What makes you tick, Miss Granger?" he thought out loud.

She was an infuriating sort of woman, indeed, but he had to admit he enjoyed their sparring. She looked positively beautiful when she was angry. He thought back to her breasts heaving with her anger. Her nipples erect with the electricity running rampant through her body. Her eyes had been a beautiful honey brown but had been bright against her flushed face. If he didn't know any better he would think she was seriously turned on.

No, she could never be turned on by him. Her greasy old potions master. No matter! They were to be married either way he might as well make the best of it. He got up quickly and started making things ready for the arrival of his wife.

Perhaps he would make a visit to Lucius, besides, his wife wasn't always the obedient submissive lamb she was now. So maybe he knew a trick or two about how to deal with petulant women. Other than acting out your sexual domination fantasies on them, that is.

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Hermione was in a groove now, almost all of her belongings were packed and she was going at full speed. Fuming all the way. She had tried and failed to appeal to the Ministry about her upcoming nuptials. Ginny had run directly into a wall when she had broken the news to her about whom she was meant to marry.

"You are to marry who?!" she shrieked while rubbing her sore nose.

"There is nothing I can do about it Gin; I'm, like, five magical contracts deep with no chance of surfacing with my dignity!" Hermione said desperately. All the while throwing things about her flat with flicks of her wand, landing them in the many boxes on her floor, tables and counters.

"I don't believe it! There is no way they would make you marry that ugly old git! He was our teacher just 4 years ago Hermione!" Ginny was now pacing back and forth dodging shirts, books and dishes flying about the flat.

"Well I could do worse, and I don't know about ugly, there is something appealing about his look," Hermione defended, "besides I have no choice so I might as well make the best of it."

"NOT UGLY! Did I just hear you right?!" Ginny shrieked, "You could literally hang half of your clothes from his nose, no need for a closet! His eyes are shit brown. Shit, Hermione! The color of feces! I don't know how you are going to manage looking into them without feeling the need for a bowl movement. And you are to have sex with him! What if his dick is as curved as his nose?!"

Hermione paused for a moment, her possessions floating about stationary and thought on that. Ginny had stopped too.

"Well perhaps that wouldn't be the worst thing ever," Ginny giggled. Hermione grinned back and soon they were both in a fit of giggles.

"Seriously though Hermione, he's awful! And you know...AWFUL! I'm so sorry sweetie." Ginny walked over to Hermione and gave her a supportive hug. Hermione allowed the hug because she was distressed, but just this once. Human contact was not her favorite.

"When are you getting married? And what are you going to wear?!" Ginny was getting excited now.

"I don't know we haven't discussed it yet, but we might as well get it over with this Saturday. And I don't want anyone there, Gin. I mean it. This marriage is a sham anyway, no need to broadcast it." She warned, starting to pack again. Objects whizzing through her house. It's not a home anymore. Not _her_ home anymore.

"This Saturday is in two days! Oh my Gods, you are going to be married to Snape in 2 days." She made a fake retching sound. "Fine, but you can't stop me from at least doing your hair," Ginny's eyes glazed over as she went through all the styles in her repertoire, considering which to do for her friends big day.

"I don't care, Ginny you can do whatever you want with it. Are you going to keep standing there like a codfish or are you here to help me pack? Honestly, the whole world has gone loopy." Hermione said taping up a full box of books.

Hermione and Ginny had continued packing and chit-chatting and throwing around jokes about Snape for a bit until Ginny had to make her way home to her husband, Harry. What a lucky bitch.

Now that Hermione was alone she was thinking about her future husband. He really wasn't all that bad. He was kind of attractive. He had filled out a bit since the war, so that helped. But there was a fire inside him that excited her. She wanted to start a fight with him just to see what he would do next. Would he kiss her again? Excitement tingled through her, from her lips to deep in her belly. She clenched her thighs together and felt that familiar wave of pleasure. Pleasure from thinking about Snape? She dismissed the line of thought. No, it's just been a long time since she'd gotten laid.

She closed the last of her boxes and stood in her practically bare living room barely believing it had taken her one day to pack all of her belongings. Snape's belongings now. He can have all of my stuff but he will _not_ take my free will! I decide what I do and when I do it. And that's that.

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_Psst...you. Yeah, you. Don't forget to review! ;)_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: **__I feel like I should apologize for the previous chapters. Though I like them I must admit I was in a rush to get to 6000 words to complete my goal to become a beta reader. From now on I will be taking more time with each chapter as I have with this one. It's a bit longer and goes into more detail. I ruly hope you enjoy it, but I wont know unless you review! Thanks to all my readers who have reviewed and PM'd me with suggestions. You guys inspire me! Enjoy!_

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Hermione was at Grimmauld Place surrounded by love. She was in the kitchen eating breakfast. Cinnamon buns and coffee; it smelled like heaven. Her heart was full and it shown through her eyes. She looked out of her shining eyes to see Harry, her best friend, and Ron, her deepest love. They both smiled back at her, Ron reaching his hand over to hold hers, and she found herself so full of love that a small giggle escaped her lips. Everything was perfection. Ron rose to put his lips to hers in a soft, gentle kiss one which she returned gladly. She put it in her mind to never forget this moment. No matter what happened she would be able to recall this moment to perfection. There was a knock on the door. Somewhere in the back of her mind Hermione felt the knock was out of place in this moment. Another knock. The door opened and Lavender walked through the hallway into the kitchen. She locked her eyes on Ron, and he on her. Hermione felt her chest heaving with horror. This wasn't right. She looked back and forth between the two of them with fear in her eyes. Ron crossed to the entrance of the kitchen and put his hands around Lavender in a lover's embrace and kissed her. An ugly sloppy kiss that had no place here in this beautiful moment. Hermione started hyperventilating. The love she felt was immediately burned through her by the hate that replaced it. Hurt, sadness and brokenness could wait their turn. She was about to get up from the kitchen table to hex the hell out of the disgusting display before her when there was another knock, this one louder.

She woke yelling "NO!" when the door to her flat burst open.

"Miss Granger what's wrong! Is there someone here?!" Snape said bursting into her room with his wand drawn, eyes frantically searching the flat for an intruder.

Hermione scrambled to cover her scantily clad body and looked up at Snape with dagger filled eyes. All the hate she had felt in her dream now directed at him. She was in her bed, safe in her room. It was all a dream, but the man before her was definitely very real. He looked a bit intense at the moment but his distracted eyes searching for the cause of her distress gave her a moment to look over him without him noticing. He was wearing his signature color. Yellow...just kidding! Black. A black button down shirt covered by a classy, well tailored black on black silk vest with a paisley design covered his broad chest. The top button of his shirt was unbuttoned giving his usual severity a bit of a casual look. His black wizard robes, draped over his shoulders almost hid their broadness. His black shirt was tucked at his narrow waist into black pants that were plain, but a bit more snug than she ever remembered him wearing, showing off the toned muscles in his legs and the bulge between his legs. Bloody hell! Was he even wearing underwear? She felt a tingle between her thighs at the thought, then redirected her attention to his face; remembering he had just come barging into her room!

"Do you make it a habit of breaking into women's private homes while they are sleeping?!" She yelled at him.

"You wouldn't answer the door and then you screamed! I was merely trying to protect my property," he sneered at her, "And if I remember correctly, this is my house now." The panic in his eyes had now subsided and was replaced by his usual glare.

"I was _sleeping_ because I was up late packing all of my things to move into your house, and the scream was...I was having a nightmare." She lowered her eyes in embarrassment "I am sorry if I caused you to panic, but you don't have to be so mean."

She was now feeling an unfamiliar prickle behind her eyes. Was she going to cry?! Again! The anger and hurt she felt from the too-real dream and the reminder that on paper she was no one anymore, just someone's property, was making this moment too much. She simply didn't have the energy for her usual strength. She hadn't even had her morning tea yet!

She got up not caring if Snape saw her, and walked over behind him to her bedroom door to grab her dressing robe.

Snape had to concentrate hard to keep his mouth from falling open when he saw her rise from the bed. She was wearing nothing but a bra and her nickers! He hair was a bit of a bushy mess but it had a bit of a just-fucked look to it that he assumed was a sign she was a restless sleeper. But her breasts were perky and full and perfection. He lowered his gaze to her flat pale stomach toned with her youth and lifestyle, then to between her thighs. He almost blushed and thanked the gods she had passed to behind him so she couldn't see his face, also giving him an excellent view of her small but curvy behind and legs. She was beautiful, even in her exasperation. He had a fleeting thought to reach out and hold her. To kiss her unshed tears away.

Hermione grabbed her robe and, feeling eyes on her, she turned to him as she put it on. He had returned his face to a look of indifference, but there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Are you aware, Miss Granger, that you have slept half the day away and left me waiting outside for ten minutes?" he asked her tersely, a faint feeling of guilt for being unable to move away from his comfortable staple of condescension.

She rolled her eyes at him and huffed loudly leaving him standing there as she exited to the kitchen. Obviously he didn't care a thing about her feelings if he was already trying to start a fight with her. Already their relationship had regressed back to surnames.

He inwardly kicked himself and after a few moments followed her to the kitchen, where he found her making tea and toast.

"I suppose you would like some too, since technically this tea and toast are your property now," she said with an edge to her voice.

"I already ate thank you, but I will take a cuppa, thank you," he responded trying to put some kindness into his voice. He could understand her anger at her situation. The Ministry was giving women and their possessions away like they didn't matter. Forcing them into horrible situations. He just hoped he could make hers as least horrible as possible. That's why...

"How do you take your tea again? I wasn't paying attention yesterday," she asked bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Strong with cream, no sugar," he reminded her.

He watched her as she moved about the kitchen with grace, long gone was the clumsy girl from her school days. He imagined her in his house, bustling about making him tea in just her dressing gown and the thought warmed him a bit.

They sat together in an awkward silence drinking their tea. Taking turns looking up at one another. Hermione noticed he seemed a bit more calm than she remembered him. In her school days he always seemed to be waiting for the next threat to come around the corner. Now his shoulders were relaxed instead of hunched and his face wasn't as pinched as if he'd smelled something bad. The lines were soft and smooth giving him the look of someone ten years younger.

Snape looked over his cup of tea at her to see she had calmed a bit from the drama of her waking. Some of the sadness had left her eyes replaced by the fire he had seen yesterday. The color had come back to her cheeks. This was a witch who's morning tea was definitely not to be trifled with, and he would do well to remember that. He dropped his gaze down to the low opening of her robe when there was a tap on the window.

They both looked up and Hermione stood to let a black and brown speckled, official looking owl into her flat. He flew in and dropped the morning copy of _The Daily Prophet _and several letters on her kitchen table. Hermione thanked him with an owl treat from a bowl by the window and closed the window as he left.

Snape picked up the copy of the paper, curious at the picture he saw on the cover. He scanned through the first page and handed the paper off to Hermione with a snort. A snort of what she didn't know but she picked up the paper to see what had caused such a reaction.

_**Gryffindor Princess Balks and Squawks**_

_Hermione Granger, our favorite female war hero is to be wed and she is not happy about it! And who should be chosen as her partner but Death-Eater turned spy Severus Snape. It's so delicious I could just die! But our dear princess has yet again show the world her true colors as she threatened a clerk in the Marriage Affairs Department. "She threatened to hex my tits off!" the worker told this reporter in an interview last night. But this news isn't exactly shocking and it leaves me wondering what happened to our dear Miss Granger, war heroine extraordinaire._

Hermione scanned the rest of the article some of which re-hashed her past indiscretions as if the whole world didn't remember them anyway. Some of which were lies, but most of which were true. She gasped loudly at some of the horrible things in the article. By the time she got to the end she was pacing and fuming. About to crumple the paper she noticed the picture of the clerk in question fake-crying with Rita Skeeter patting her shoulder comfortingly.

"That WOMAN!" Hermione yelled out. Now she was seething! "I wish I HAD hexed her tits off! I ought to march down there right now and give her a piece of my mind! Rita Skeeter too, insufferable bitch!"

"What and give them more material for another three articles!" Snape snapped at her, wishing she hadn't brought this on herself.

"This is ridiculous! Why must I always be the center of an easy target. The butt of their jokes. Why can't they focus on someone else for a change!" She said the last part through clenched teeth. Anger was evident in her eyes and her flushed cheeks.

Snape was fully aware of the stories that had been cycling through the gossip rags and some of the more reputable papers about her. Since she had played her part to perfection as a member of the Golden Trio the wizarding world had made her their own celebrity. They did seem to write more negative than positive though. Some of the girl magazines had written articles about her make-up and her clothes, why anyone would care about that he didn't know. In truth, most of the stories about her were about her break-up with the Weasley boy -idiot wonder that he was- and her changing temper and attitude toward others. Her heartbreak-turned-bitterness on display for the entire world. He felt badly for her, but could only do so much. First she really needed to reel in her temper, that he could help with.

"Perhaps if you wouldn't give them so much to write about you wouldn't be the butt of all their jokes, did you consider that an option at all?" he said to her passively.

"I didn't ask for this, Snape, they just won't leave me alone!" she spat back at him.

"Perhaps in the future you could act with more decorum in public?" he offered her as if it were that simple. "I can assure you that behavior will be met with swift discipline once you are my wife. Though you probably couldn't hold your tongue if you tried."

"You don't know me! You don't know anything about me!" she reeled on him walking toward him. Her face was inches away from him and she put a finger against his chest jabbing him with it. "I'm surprised you aren't in the papers more with your bad attitude and cruelty! You, who never has a kind word to say to anyone, who is always the first to come out with a sarcastic quip to make others feel lower than you! They could fill every paper from here to next year with your antics! As if _you _of all people are one to lecture me on my behavior. And I can hold my tongue whenever I choose, I simply choose not to, and I certainly wont for _you_!" she spat and ranted in his face.

Snape tried hard to keep himself calm as this shrew of a woman continued to try to cut him down. Putting into his mind that she was lashing out because she was hurt.

"Perhaps because I have always been this way, Granger, they don't feel I offer enough good material. It would be like reporting that the sky is blue. Terribly boring droll I assure you." he grabbed her finger gently and pushed it away from him and looked her in the eyes.

"Perhaps you should try to answer the question the paper posed so clearly, what happened to the dear war hero princess of before?" he posed the question to her plainly and she closed her eyes to escape his intense gaze.

She felt as if he could see right through her. Her anger slowly subsided as she began to feel naked before her husband-to-be. Could he see her so clearly when she couldn't even see herself? It unnerved her and she walked backwards to the chair she had been occupying before her outburst and fell into it.

They sat quietly for a few minutes finishing their tea, Hermione nibbling on her toast, both lost in thought.

"Perhaps we should get on with our plans then, Hermione," Snape said, eliciting a look of surprise from the woman across the table from him.

Well at least we're back to a first name basis she thought to herself as she rose to clear the table.

"I was thinking we should get married tomorrow, Saturday, so it doesn't conflict with our work schedules," she stated her opinion.

"I think that is the first sensible thing I have heard you say since you chose my door yesterday," he said teasing her.

"It's not like I knew _you _were behind the door when I chose it! If I had known..."

"If you had known what?" he interrupted her, "You would have chosen a different door?" has asked with eyebrows raised.

Hermione hadn't even thought of what she would have done if she could actually have seen into the doors. What if every other man was a stranger? What if he was the only man behind the doors that she knew. She knew she trusted him. She had known all that he had done to protect her and her friends. His years of service as a Death-Eater/Spy. She had thought in the past about what he could have seen and gone through and at the time like now her heart went out to him. Would she have in fact chosen him, a man she trusted and knew, over any other? The answer surprised her. She would have chosen him over a stranger any day.

Feeling a little bit more comfortable with her fate now she calmed down and went to wash their tea cups out in the sink.

"I'm waiting!" Snape said impatiently following her into the kitchen.

"Well we'll never know will we? Our glorious Ministry left it up to chance." She replied trying to hide her blush.

He was watching her closely and seeing her blush sent a warmth through his icy heart. That was all he needed to know.

They sat and discussed more plans for the next hour and were rather amicable toward one anther witch both surprised and disappointed them.

When there was nothing left to discuss the professor went to take his leave and Hermione followed him to her fire place.

Before he stepped in he reached out and ran his fingers gently over her face and was rewarded with a small gasp from her and a lighting of the fire behind her eyes.

"Until tomorrow, Hermione," he whispered and threw the powder in the fire. He was gone and she was left standing there shocked at the gentleness he had just shown her. He was indeed an enigma wrapped in a conundrum, and she would be shocked if she ever figured him out.

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_Psst...Hey you! Yeah, you! Don't forget to review! ;)_


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm baaaaack!_

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**_Author's note: _**_Okay folks here's the next chapter. The chapter after this one is almost done and it shall be quite...interesting. Thanks for all the reviews guys I appreciate them they keep me going. I hope you enjoy!_

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"What am I to do with her? I feel like she needs protecting from her own self!" Snape said as he paced Lucius' den floor.

"Stubborn women are like tomatoes, Sev. They can produce the most glorious fruit if they are barricaded in a prison of wire and posts. If you let them free of their prison they will fall over under their own weight and snap," Lucius said while gently twirling his glass of scotch.

Snape stopped pacing to look at his best friend incredulously. Malfoy was sitting with one leg over the other in a black wing-backed chair looking positively bored. Well, he always looked bored so that wasn't saying much. His blonde hair was tied back in a black ribbon and his Slytherin green waist-coat was unbuttoned showing his crisp white button up shirt. His black robes were splayed over the arms of his chair.

"You are not seriously suggesting that I imprison the woman are you?!" Snape yelled back at his friend.

"Well not literally imprison her, mate, that was outlawed in the late 1800's," He said with one eyebrow raised, "But you must not just let her roam around free acting as devil may care! You must put some restraints on her or she will fall under her own weight."

"Well how would I even do that, she wont listen for shit! She has a mind of her own. I can put down a hundred rules and she wouldn't follow any of them, even if they are good for her, just out of sheer spite," Snape said having resumed his pacing. "What did you do with Narcissa? If I recall correctly she was a bit of a wild one herself."

Malfoy smiled deviously at Snape, "I work on a reward system, Sev, if she is good she gets a reward. If she is bad..." he looked at Snape with a twinkle in his eye, "she gets a reward."

Snape was a bit startled at first but recovered quickly. Was his best friend talking about what he thought he was talking about. Perhaps Malfoy and him were more similar than he originally believed. How did he get her to agree to it though? How did he get her to not hate him for his "reward system"? That's what Snape wanted to know.

As if reading his mind Malfoy answered his thoughts, "Trust me, women like your future wife and my current are stubborn women who seem totally in control of everything. The reality is they grab control of whatever they can get their hands on because they are, in truth, unraveling. And this system, in taking away some of that feigned control, helps them to...ravel. If she doesn't like it at first, she will grow to."

Snape stopped pacing and sat across from his friend. He let what Malfoy said sink in while he took a sip of his own drink. Hermione did seem to be unraveling. Perhaps his own personal desires could truly help her. Perhaps she would enjoy them. Hopefully she wouldn't see him as a monster. He drained the rest of his drink and bid his friend farewell. He had to get some sleep, he had a wedding to get to in the morning.

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Hermione sat looking in her mirror while Ginny worked her magic with her hair. She was a bit lost in thought. She was getting married today. It seemed ridiculous. She, the brightest witch of her age, the brains of the Golden Trio, the premier researcher on muggle history vs. magical and how they are linked together, was getting married. To her old _Professor_. I mean she had always had the tiniest crush on him in school. His voice alone was worth the crush of a lot of girls from her year. But she had gotten older and grown to respect him for his amazing contribution to bringing down Voldemort. Her school girl crush had been replaced by a deep love and affection for Ronald Weasley, not much good that did her. She trusted Snape. She had always trusted him, always been on his side, always defended him. There was something about him that she knew he wouldn't hurt her the way Ron did, just as he never hurt them during their school years.

But was she attracted to him now? He was definitely an attractive man. He was brave and intelligent. But was she sexually attracted to him? She thought back on the way he looked bursting into her room. They way he looked at her in her underthings. They way he looked when he was about to kiss her.

Perhaps she was a little attracted to more than just his brains. The deep awakening in her nether regions told her so. Shit.

What if he wasn't attracted to her? I mean he had kissed her but it was just to shut her up. A very useful way to shut her up she thought. Perhaps she could get him to do it again?

Regardless of her feelings for him she was still afraid. What if he took away everything. Her work, her home, her free will, her dignity. He doesn't seem like the type to want a woman to just cook and clean for him. But looks can be deceiving. And Snape himself had proved that for years. She would do well to guard her heart from him until she knew the true nature of their marriage.

"Mione, if your brow becomes anymore furrowed it's going to get stuck like that and then what of your wedding day?!" Ginny said exasperated.

"Sorry, Gin, just lost in thought I guess." She gave Ginny an apologetic smile.

"Well I'm almost done with your hair and then you can get dressed," she said sounding a bit like her mother Molly. "What were you thinking about?" she asked her this time sounding more like her cheeky self.

"Is your mind ever anywhere else other than the gutter? I swear all you think about is clothes, hair and sex," Hermione said teasingly throwing a cotton ball at her friend.

"Perhaps, but that's exactly why I can tell when other people are thinking about sex too. It's my super power. And you, my friend, were definitely thinking _hard_ about sex," Ginny teased back.

"Fine! I was a little, maybe, just wondering what it would be like to have sex with Snape," Hermione admitted a bit sheepishly.

"EWWW! Gods no! Just do it just the once and hope it takes, then never let him touch you again!" Ginny squealed.

"Are you kidding me?! You think I want to get pregnant right away! I have time. I'm going to wait it out as long as is possible! I have work to do." Hermione yelled back.

Ginny put a final pin in Hermione's hair and shifted her eyes downward avoiding Hermione's gaze in the mirror.

Hermione turned around in her chair to look at Ginny. "What's wrong Ginny, you can tell me. I promise I won't freak out."

Ginny rolled her eyes "Yeah right! You are going to freak out because it's freak out worthy, just remember that I am not the one who passed this law."

Hermione nodded to her friend but she was getting very nervous. What horrible thing was about to happen to her now?

"All of the women who have found husbands and have gotten married received a letter in the mail from their employer "granting" them three months off from work to work on their home and their marriage," Ginny turned away picking at her finger nails nervously, "Some of them tried to go to work anyway and tell their boss's that they never asked for time off, but they were sent home anyways. Some who continued to lessen their off time were threatened with firing."

"WHAT?!" Hermione stood quite abruptly from her chair and knocked several items off of her vanity.

"Messenger, messenger," Ginny reminded.

Hermione put both hands on her vanity and stared at herself in the mirror. They were going to take everything from her. "People wonder why I am such a raving Bitch! Well, this is why!" She thought to herself. She tried to calm down. She could always do her work from home. No one could stop her from doing that. That's exactly what she was going to do. No worries. She took a deep breath and let it out.

"It's okay Ginny, I'm ok," Hermione took a step back and admired Ginny's work, "My hair looks absolutely beautiful Gin, thank you."

Her hair was piled on her head in intricate braids and curls. It was smooth and glossy, something she couldn't ever do on her own. There were three long shiny curls cascading down her back. She looked like a princess.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Mione, not just your hair," Ginny said moving forward to run her fingers through the curls on her back, "Let's find you something to wear."

She tried on several outfits but they finally settle on a deep green dress that hugged Hermione's curves just right without being too tight. It had a heart-shaped neckline and Princess Anne sleeves. Not overly fancy for a forced wedding, but beautiful all the same. Hermione refused to wear white because that would be an outright lie, and because this wasn't a real wedding anyway. And green had always flattered her.

She put on matching satin heals and jade earrings. She decided on no necklace to keep things simple.

"Hermione, why have I never seen this dress? I swear you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Snape is such a luck old git," Ginny said around her tears.

"I love you, Gin, promise me we will still be friends and see each other often," Hermione said putting her arms out for a hug.

Ginny walked over to her quickly falling into her arms, "I promise, love, but if that greasy bat ever treats you wrong or says a cross word to me I will hex him into oblivion," She laughed.

They both laughed. Ginny fixed her blotched make-up real quick and bid her friend good luck.

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Hermione landed out of the fireplace in the Ministry and look around for her betrothed.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author's note:_**_ Hey guys. Inspiration has struck and I just can't seem to stop writing. I don't know what it is, but I have got writing fever! I am a bit sad no one has been reviewing my stuff. I feel like maybe my story is losing steam. That's okay though, for I shall continue to write this story. I just might not post it. DEVIOUS! ~_- Anywho, I do hope you enjoy this chapter. Please do try to review if you can. IM NEEDY! T_T_

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As Hermione stepped out onto the deep black glass floor she stopped abruptly stunned by the sight before her. Over a hundred couples lined up together and sitting on chairs and benches in various styles of wedding attire. Clearly getting married today was a bad idea. Women in white wedding dresses, sun dresses, dress robes and some a bit under dressed for the occasion. All standing with wizard partners and some with families. She scanned the crowd and wondered how long exactly she was going to have to wait, when she realized a short witch with bright yellow blonde hair pulled back tight in ministry robes trying to get her attention.

"You are to sign in here, Miss..." she said in an almost clinical tone.

Hermione made her way over to the severe looking woman and looked down at the parchment. She was ready to sign her and Snape's name when she heard a familiar voice over the crowd.

She looked up and to her horror she saw none other than her ex. The bane of her existence. The subject of many a late night diatribe, Ronald fucking Weasley standing in line with his...witch.

She had to fight the urge to hide as she had done many times before when he had turned up in the same store as her, or the same street. She scanned the room again looking for Snape, hoping he was there and could perhaps rescue her from this moment.

He was nowhere to be found and as if the gods themselves were trying to shred her last strand of sanity the couple that was the cause of her consternation had seen her, and was headed her way.

Hermione dropped the quill and tried her hardest to look aloof...and hot, but mostly aloof. Okay mostly hot. Well! Who doesn't try to look hot when their ex shows up. It's a way to say, "Hey look what you're missing out on, don't you feel dumb as hell now."

"Hey, 'Mione, fancy meeting you here," Ron said awkwardly while looking her up and down. Obviously he was impressed. It made Hermione inwardly smile, mission accomplished. Lavender looked at Hermione as if she was owl dung stuck on the bottom of her shoe.

"I thought you guys were having a big Weasley wedding?" Hermione asked with her voice chilly as ice.

"Well mum and Lavender were having a hard time agreeing on things-" Lavender must have kicked him or pinched him or something because he blushed furiously and instead of finishing his thought looked down at his shoes.

"We thought it would be more romantic to elope. Our love can't wait for a big wedding," Lavender said haughtily at Hermione.

"Yes I know, if I remember correctly your love can't wait for an available man either," she shot back at her.

"How dare you! Just because Ronnikins picked me over you doesn't mean you can talk to me that way! I am to be his wife and you aren't, just get over it. Besides jealousy isn't a very good color on you. Neither is that awful green you are wearing!" Lavender spat back.

At this point all the press who had been covering the mass of marriages had caught wind of the juicy fight about to boil over and had made their way over to the trio.

"I think she looks breathtaking, myself, and it appears so does your husband-to-be, Ms. Brown," a silky voice said from behind Hermione.

Oh God that voice! But, oh no, he had warned her not to make anymore public scenes or their would be consequences and here he was finding her in one right now.

"P-p-p-p-rofessor Snape, what are you doing here?" Lavender got out, clearly surprised.

"Why, I'm here to marry this lovely creature Mr. Weasley can't seem to take his eyes off of," Snape said silkily, dangerously. "Do try to keep your eyes on you own paper, Weasley, we wouldn't want anyone accused of cheating would we?"

"You are marrying _him_," Ron gasped "I thought that was a joke! How could you marry him Hermione?! After the way he treated us! The greasy old bat of the dungeons! A death-eater, Hermione!"

Hermione bristled at Ron's hateful comments. She put on her most haughty face and said, "For seven years he taunted, tortured and ridiculed us Ron, for seven years he made us the butt of every joke, the target of every laugh. But I would still choose him over you any day you lying cheating ass, because he still treated me better in those seven years than you did during our relationship. I would take that seven years all over again if it meant I never had to put up with you or what we had. At least with him I always know where I stand. At least with him I know I will receive honesty and loyalty. You! You wouldn't know how to treat a woman proper if it would save the entire wizarding world! You stupid, arrogant, cheating, back-stabbing liar! And I would greatly appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of my _fiance' _in such a manner," Hermione had ranted and it had felt amazing! All of the things she had wanted to say since the break-up she finally got to out and it felt so damn good!

Lavender looked as if she was about to retort some ignorant vapid nonsense, but before she could, Snape grabbed Hermione by the wrist and twirled her around to face him. He looked her up in down with a mixture of lust and awe, pulled her close to him and crushed his mouth to hers. He wanted to whole world to see that she was his. He wanted Weasley to feel some of the pain he had caused her.

Her lips tasted amazing, he felt almost compelled to have more, she gasped against his mouth and he took the opportunity to explore it with his tongue. Delving into her depths, tasting her essence. He was surprised to find that she too was exploring inside his mouth with as much fervor.

Hermione was in momentary shock. Snape was kissing her...and it was HOT. Oh my gods if only she had known she could have been kissed like this perhaps she wouldn't have been so torn up about Ron's betrayal. He never kissed like this. This kiss was worldly, manly, it spoke of things to come. Dangerous, amazing knowledge. His tongue was in her mouth and it was soft as silk yet hard as steel. As it was tasting all of her she felt a tug down below and she had to stifle a moan. Her tongue was exploring his mouth and he tasted so damn good. She wanted more.

He remembered suddenly they were in public and eased out of the kiss. He pulled her gently to him and walked her to one of the floos. He stepped with her inside of it and they were gone. Hermione didn't even look back to see the look on Ron's face. She honestly couldn't care less.

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_Psst...You! Yeah you! Don't forget to review ;)_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Harry Potter. If I did Severus and Dumbledore would never have died and the books would not have been for children...if you know what I mean ;)_

**_Author's note: _**_Due to the awesome response from my previous chapter I shall reward you with the next. See... I can be a benevolent dictator! Ok so this chapter still feels a bit rough, but I'm posting it anyway so be nice. I had to split into two chapters so if I get a good response maybe I'll post the other half. Your PM's and reviews helped inspire me and I promise I will respond to them as soon as I post this chapter. Thanks guys I hope you enjoy._

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When they stepped out of the fireplace and into their location Hermione didn't even look around. She was too busy looking at the man who had helped her get a small piece of revenge. The man who had just made her feel things she had never felt before.

His hair was tied back in a dark green ribbon, matching perfectly her dress. With his hair pulled back she had a clear view of his face. He was...handsome. Unconventionally, but handsome none the less. His strong jaw set off his nose with perfection. But what really drew her were his eyes. They weren't just brown. Maybe it was the floo, maybe it was the kiss, but his eyes were tri-colored. They weren't black and they weren't brown. They were both with a bonus color of gold. There was a gold ring around his pupil surrounded by a dark brown. Then the outermost ring of his iris was a black that flecked inward like an inside out star, striping into the brown and the gold. She could get lost in his eyes.

He was wearing black dress robes and almost the same outfit of the day before but with a deep green vest instead of black. My goodness, they had matched on their wedding day.

She looked around then finally and saw where they were. This must have been the back room of his potions shop. There were ingredients on massive shelves and cauldrons of all sizes stacked against the wall and on work tables.

He had started his potions shop only two years ago and it was thriving. He didn't do any kind of commercial business because that was boring to him, he liked to study and test theories too much for such mundane work. But he was busy because he carried the widest variety and some of the rarest in potions. People still called him professor and he didn't mind the title. He had worked hard for it. It's like the title of Doctor or Healer, it doesn't go away simply because you stop practicing.

She looked back at Snape again lost in the man in front of her.

Snape could feel her staring at him but he couldn't risk looking down at her now. If he did, and he looked into her eyes he would not be able to stop himself from what would happen next.

When he had seen her in her gown standing there defending her honor in front of that idiot and his idiot companion she had looked positively radiant. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

It took everything in him not to reach out and run his fingers through the curls down her back when he had finally reached her.

He wondered if she truly meant what she had said to the Weasley idiot or if she was just saying those things to hurt him or make him jealous. She was smart but she had to feel it was at least a little bit the truth to have come up with it so quickly. Plus, Hermione Granger was not a liar.

And that kiss. They way her perfect pouty mouth felt against his skin. No, we must first deal with the issues at present. She had created a public scene again. He had told her there would be consequences for such behavior. And though she had been put in a difficult position, she could have kept her mouth shut. Now his and her faces kissing were going to be plastered everywhere because he had had to rescue her. Not that he minded, but he had promised punishment and now he had to follow through.

He pulled her into the work room of his potions shop, and one he had let go of her arm and waist he took of his outer robes and laid it on one of his brewing counters. He put on his most commanding face and turned to look at the woman behind him.

Hermione looked around and realized she must be in the back room of Snape's potions shop. She looked up at his face and saw the look there. Her old potions master was back. The man she had kissed was still in there somewhere but not at present.

He started walking toward her and she got a bit nervous then and took a step back. Oh, no, he was definitely angry.

"Miss Granger," he snarled, and she quivered a bit, "I told you before that this kind of public outburst would be met with swift discipline, did I not?" he asked her with one eyebrow raised.

Hermione looked up at him in horror, oh gods, "As if what happened today could have been avoided?!" she screeched out a little louder than she had intended.

He took two large steps toward her and put her face in his hands.

"The fact that you were faced with such a horrible situation on your wedding day is deplorable, even if this is a forced marriage, a sham, every woman deserves better on their wedding day. Especially you, Hermione," he half whispered to her, but with force. As if he were as upset as she. "However," he had recovered back to his normal tone, "are you not a powerful witch? You could have put up a distract charm, an avoid charm, a see-me-not charm. You could have walked away. You could have listened to all the ridiculous, insipid nonsense coming out of their mouths and been the bigger person," he finished, his voice holding frustration and something else Hermione couldn't place. He backed away and looked at her as if waiting her response.

He had a point, she could have avoided this all together. It's almost as if she had wanted to get into the fight. Wanted to egg them and herself on. My gods, and it's going to be in the paper tomorrow.

"Well, in the moment I suppose I didn't think of those things! I was frozen...a bit..." she trailed off knowing she was only telling a half truth. She had enough sense to make sure she looked good. To make them both jealous. To say mean things. She was too busy being petty.

"Well then how about we fix that lapse in action," he said with a sneer "and this mysterious lapse in truth telling with a bit of discipline."

He walked toward her again and lifted her up over his shoulder. She started screaming and telling him to put her down but over all her noise he said, "Trust me, witch, after this you will never forget to hold your tongue."

He took her over to the corner where there was a table and a bench and sat on the bench with her laid across his lap. He charmed her skirt up her legs. Hermione froze for a second then started to flail again. He ignored her but held her a bit tighter, pulling her skirt over her panties. Black lace. Her ass looked perfectly plump. He felt his cock tighten in his trousers but pulled his focus back to the moment.

"Stop moving, witch, or you'll make it worse," he said through gritted teeth.

He brought his hand down on her left cheek and she stopped squirming. She made a small yelp and looked back over her shoulder at him with shock. Had he just spanked her?

He brought his hand down again this time over her right cheek. She yelped again, this time not out of surprise but out of pain...mostly.

He continued slowly from one cheek to the next, her bum was getting warm beneath his hands.

Hermione started squirming again, but not to get away. Every time he smacked her she felt pain and then a ripple of pleasure course through her a bit lower.

He spanked her again and this time she moaned with pleasure from the tingling in her soft mound. She looked back at him with heat in her eyes.

Snape stopped for a second and looked down at her face, full of pleasure and desire. She looked positively wanton. His cock responded and jumped at the thought that she was deriving pleasure from this moment.

He moved his hand a bit lower and felt the wetness of her on her panties. He made a strangled sound in his throat and brought his hand back and spanked her in that spot. She moved over him trying to rub her clit against his thigh. She hit her mark moaned again, "Please, Sir, don't stop," she gasped out.

Snape couldn't believe this was happening. This beautiful witch was moaning and writhing on his lap asking for him to spank her had just rubbed up against hid thigh. He could feel the wet spot growing on his pants. He had to stop though. Discipline was over, this was pleasure. Well maybe he could keep going. NO! This was about teaching her something not about taking advantage of her.

He lifted her from a laying position to sitting next to him on the bench and fixed her skirts. She looked away from him not wanting him to see her blushing so openly. She had just done that. That had just happened. What the hell. Was she attracted to her old potions master. Like she wanted him to fuck her. She was definitely not telling Ginny about this. Everything from the waist down was tingling and it took everything to not squirm to find her release.

He reached over and grabbed her chin lightly, pulling her face back to meet his. Their eyes met, both on fire. And he lost all train of thought. This time she acted first. She put her hand on his cheek then brushed the black hair that had come loose from his ribbon back over his ear. She leaned forward and softly placed her lips on his. He almost pulled back at the intimate contact, but stayed. She opened her mouth slightly, tentatively, and he answered by running his tongue across her lips and gently touching his tongue to hers.

Electricity shot through both of them on the contact and Hermione moaned quietly into his mouth. That was all he needed. He picked her up and placed her in his lap putting one arm around her lower back and one hand in her hair. The kiss deepened and soon they were both gasping for air then returning to one another like a siren's call.

Snape regained his senses and groaned in frustration. He pulled away from the kiss not believing he would willingly stop her from showing him some affection. But it was just the way she was feeling after what happened before. This wasn't just because she wanted him. Hermione leaned forward trying to find the softness that was keeping her lips warm.

He grabbed her hands and steadied them in her lap, then lifted her off of him and placed her back on the bench. He stood and went to go make some tea, and to conceal his huge erection.

She watched him as he worked, admiring his grace and the way his muscles moved under his shirt. His black hair falling down his neck and the top of his back from his ponytail. His waist-coat pulling and stretching with the movement of his back and arms.

"Thank you, Severus," Hermione said breaking the silence, "for rescuing me from myself and Ron."

Snape stiffened at the sound of his name on her lips. It stirred more feelings deep in his groin and he tried to ignore them to finish making the tea.

"Thanks are not necessary, Hermione, I was merely showing the stupid git what a fool he was. Embarrassing Weasley's is a hobby of mine. One I am quite good at, I assure you," he replied back, still not turning to look at her.

She smiled to herself a bit thinking of the look on Ron's face when he saw Snape standing behind her. It was perfection!

"Thanks for getting me out of there too. I couldn't be there anymore; I was going to lose it," she said her voice getting a little shaky with tears she was proud to have not shed in front of Ron himself.

Snape turned at the sound of her voice changing and looked her in the eyes. Her eyes were, if it was even possible, more beautiful when full of unshed tears.

He walked over to her leaving the tea and knelt in front of her holding her hands that were folded in her lap right over her...area.

Hermione felt the aching in her groin again and gasped with the pleasure. She didn't know if it was the warmth still on her buttocks, the remembrance of his lips on hers or the look in his eyes of concern for her right now. But she felt like she _needed _him right then and there. Why was she so urgently drawn to him? Was it because he had defended her? Rescued her? Or was it just him, the man before her. Looking into her eyes as if looking into her soul. Her tears started to spill out of her eyes, silently down her cheeks.

Snape wanted to kiss her so badly. When she had gasped and it was like an invitation to know her on another level. He had searched her eyes and saw desire and confusion there. Then she started crying and he didn't know what to do. She looked so beautiful and so sad. He moved in for the kiss when the kettle began to whistle.

He let go of her a bit grudgingly and went to finish the tea. He directed her to a small table in the corner and brought the tea service over. They made their cups and sat in companionable silence lost in their own thoughts while they drank.

When they had both finished their first cuppa and had poured a second, Hermione decided it was time to talk.

"So, I suppose we aren't getting married today then?" she asked a bit sheepishly.

"Well, there are other places and ways to get married, and it is required. We only have a few more days before our week is up," Snape replied.

"I don't think I want to go back to that place to be wed," Hermione admitted.

They sat quietly for a few and considered options in their own minds. This time Snape spoke up first.

"I think, perhaps, you should come back to my place tonight. Our place, I suppose, as it is to be your home too. We can both freshen up, I'd like to give you a tour. You can choose your room," He offered.

Hermione looked at him confused, "Choose my room, I wouldn't be sleeping with you?" she asked brows furrowed.

Snape was a bit surprised by her forwardness, but showed only the blank face he had perfected years ago.

"I thought you could have your own room until you were ready to share a bed with me. Other than the original...act after the ceremony, I thought you might like your own space until... if we become better acquainted," he replied.

Hermione looked down into her tea cup blushing. She just realized how she had sounded. He just seemed so controlling all the time she assumed he would demand her to sleep in his bed.

Snape searched her face and seeing what she was thinking got a little angry, "I am not some monster, Miss Granger, To force a woman who barely knows me into my bed," he sneered. The new side of Snape she had just seen was gone.

"I am sorry I didn't mean to assume..." she offered a bit upset by the return of her last name.

He cut her off, "Yes you did. I know the whole world knows all about me. Who I am, where I'm from, what I did for during the wars. But they don't really know me and neither do you. Separate bedrooms is the best plan I think for us until we know each other aside from our reputations." He was looking at her through dangerous eyes. Anger in his voice. He almost looked away awaiting her own anger filled response.

"I am sorry, Severus," Hermione said softly, catching him completely off guard, "you are right. I assumed the worst and that is what I am always getting mad at others for doing to me. I would love to pick my own bedroom."

Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all Snape thought to himself. She already seems to have tamed a bit since two days ago. Was it him? Did she...like him enough to try? Was it the spanking? It was probably the stress of the day. No need to get high hopes. In his experience hopes were always really just pipe dreams. They weren't for Snape. So if he were to start hoping now...no. He didn't want to jinx it.

They finished their tea and cleaned up. Snape reached out an arm for Hermione and she walked to him.

"You are right though, Severus, I don't think I will ever forget," she said a little shyly her blush returning to her face, "about the charms I could have used I mean."

"Well it looks like you already forgot the lesson on telling half truths, perhaps a reminder is already in order," he teased.

He wrapped his arm around her and she lay her head on his chest. He actually sighed softly, then apparated to Spinner's End.

* * *

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